1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a board game and, more specifically, to a board game based upon the preparation of a dinner in which the players must prepare a dinner consisting of food items from four food groups.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other board games designed for recreational activities but do not contain a board including necessary measures needed to prepare a dinner. Another difference is that other board games do not function in the same manner as the present invention with regard to the necessary objectives and procedures that must be met in order to win.
While these board games may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a board game based on the preparation of a four course dinner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game containing a pair of dice that contain various amounts of minutes marked thereon.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a board game containing a pair of dice that when rolled the total does not exceed eight.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide two decks of cards containing various instructions to affect game play.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a game board based on the preparation of a dinner including food groups, foods, and cooking time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game where it is necessary to land on one food from each food group and deplete the related cooking time to win.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a board game that teaches children mathematics and provides food preparation information.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a board game for recreational use centered on the preparation of a dinner that also teaches mathematics and food preparation information. The board game is based upon the preparation of a dinner in which the players must prepare a dinner consisting of a food item from each of four food groups.
Each of the four food group items is along a separate side of the game board. Two of the corner spaces are marked with instructions either to draw a card from the xe2x80x9cSimmerxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cBoilxe2x80x9d stacks, and to follow the instructions on the card. A third corner is marked as xe2x80x9cStewxe2x80x9d and causes the addition of 60 minutes to the accumulation of preparation/cooking times for the food item. The fourth corner is the xe2x80x9cGet Cookingxe2x80x9d space that serves as the starting place for the player""s tokens.
The object of the game is to roll numbered dice, move the player""s token and land on a food item from one of the four food groups and then continue rolling the dice and moving the token until the player""s token lands on the space predefined as xe2x80x9cGet Cookingxe2x80x9d. The food item and various game features create an accumulation of preparation/cooking time that must be eliminated. After landing on the Get Cooking space the player rolls a second pair of dice marked with various amounts of preparation/cooking times, each displayed sum of time amounts being taken from the accumulated preparation/cooking time until all accumulated time is eliminated. The first player to complete this process for a food item from each of the four food groups is the winner.
A board game is provided for a number of players, the game designed to select and prepare food items for a meal, each player accumulating a total food preparation time during play for each food item, the apparatus comprising: at least two player tokens; at least one numbered die having at least four sides, each side having a number displayed; a game board defining a platform upon which the game is played, the board having at least four sides, each side representing a group of food items, each side having a plurality of individual spaces delineated for player token advancement according to a roll of the at least one die, each delineated space representing and displaying an item of food within the group of food items represented by the side on which the space is located, and each delineated space displaying a time indicia indicating the amount of preparation time required for the item of food displayed on said delineated space, one of said game board sides having a delineated space for player token occupation at the game beginning, and one of said game board sides having a delineated preparation time penalty space displaying the amount of the time penalty; at least one time indicia die having at least four sides, each side having an amount of time displayed; at least one stack of cards, each card having an instruction, with at least one card""s instruction affecting the player""s board position, and with at least one card""s instruction affecting the player""s total preparation time accumulation, the game board further having a designated area for placement of the at least one stack of cards, the game board further having at least one delineated space having an instruction to draw from the at least one stack of cards.
In another embodiment, the number of numbered die is two and the highest combination of displayed numbers equals four.
In another embodiment, the number of numbered die is two and the highest combination of displayed numbers equals eight.
In another embodiment, the at least one numbered die is six-sided.
In another embodiment, the at least one numbered die is eight-sided.
In another embodiment, the at least one time indicia die is six-sided.
In another embodiment, the at least one time indicia die is eight-sided.
In another embodiment, the number of stacks of cards is two.
In another embodiment, the first stack has cards labeled xe2x80x9cSimmerxe2x80x9d and the second stack has cards labeled xe2x80x9cBoilxe2x80x9d.
In another embodiment, the starting space is labeled xe2x80x9cGet Cookingxe2x80x9d.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the main course food group.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the vegetable food group.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the food group including soups and salads.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the dessert food group.
In another embodiment, the board game further comprises a set of instructions.
A method of playing a board game is provided for a number of players, the game designed to select and prepare food items for a meal, each player accumulating a total food preparation time during play for each food item, the comprising the steps of: providing at least two player tokens; providing at least one numbered die having at least four sides, each side having a number displayed; providing at least one time indicia die having at least four sides, each side having an amount of time displayed; providing a game board defining a platform upon which the game is played, the board having at least four sides, each side representing a group of food items, each side having a plurality of individual spaces delineated for player token advancement according to a roll of the at least one die, each delineated space representing and displaying an item of food within the group of food items represented by the side on which the space is located, and each delineated space displaying a time indicia indicating the amount of preparation time required for the item of food displayed on said delineated space, one of said game board sides having a delineated space for player token occupation at the game beginning, and one of said game board sides having a delineated preparation time penalty space displaying the amount of the time penalty; providing at least one stack of instruction cards, each card having an instruction, with at least one card""s instruction affecting the player""s board position, and with at least one card""s instruction affecting the player""s total preparation time accumulation, the game board further having a designated area for placement of the at least one stack of cards, the game board further having at least one individual delineated space having an instruction to draw from the at least one stack of cards; placing the at least one stack of cards face down in the designated area on the game board; placing the player tokens on the delineated starting space; requiring each player to roll the at least one numbered die and to advance said player""s token a number of delineated spaces to correspond with the numbered displayed on the die following the roll; requiring each player to draw an instruction card when said player""s token lands on the at least one delineated space that indicates the instruction card is to be drawn, and to follow the instruction on the drawn instruction card; requiring each player to prepare a four course meal including one food item from each side of the game board, the inclusion resulting from said player""s token landing on the food item; as each food item is so included: requiring the player to roll the at least one numbered die and advance said player""s token until said player""s token lands on a delineated food preparation space; requiring the player to roll the at least one time indicia die until time amounts displayed on the rolled die equals or exceeds the newly included food item""s designated preparation time, as adjusted by any preparation time adjustments that are made per the instruction card instructions or the preparation time penalty space penalty; requiring the player to return to the numbered die after so equaling or exceeding said time amounts for the first three included food items; declaring the player who equals or exceeds said time amounts for the fourth included food item as the winner.
In another embodiment, the delineated food preparation space is labeled xe2x80x9cGet Cookingxe2x80x9d
In another embodiment, the delineated food preparation space is labeled xe2x80x9cGet Cookingxe2x80x9d and is the same space as the starting space for player tokens.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the main course food group.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the vegetable food group.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the food group including soups and salads.
In another embodiment, one game board side is for the dessert food group.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration the preferred embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.